Photo courtesy of Mobot.org
Have you ever planted a plant in your garden and then not liked it? A few years ago I planted Gaura lindheimeri ’Siskiyou Pink’ and was totally underwhelmed. The little pale pink flowers were floppy and simply got lost among all the stronger colors and larger flowers in my perennial garden.
Then, one winter weekend, we had to quickly dig up all the plants in the garden where Siskiyou Pink was planted to make room for a new septic tank, and I decided to throw it away, rather than try to overwinter it in a container.
To be honest, I’d basically written off Gaura’s as not being garden-worthy.
A Frenzy of Whirling Butterflies
All that changed this spring when I bought some Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’ for containers for one of my garden design clients.
I was looking for something fun and whimsical to add to the containers so I grabbed some Whirling Butterflies on a whim.
Well, it turns out Whirling Butterflies was a little too whimsical for my client so I brought it home and added it to one of my containers. Boy, oh boy – was her loss my gain!
I LOVE this plant, it really shines in a container where the delicate flowers can float above the other plants, like, well…whirling butterflies.
It has been blooming non stop since mid-May with no signs of slowing down. The spent flowers basically fall right off. Every once in a while I’ll run my fingers through it to give them a little help falling off, but that’s it.
I’ve seen Gaura lindheimeri’s common name listed as both butterfly blossom and bee blossom and I have to say, at least in my garden, it’s a major attraction for the bees. When a bee lands on a flower, it literally dances in mid-air as the weight of the bee makes the flower look like it’s on springs. It’s great fun to watch.
While I’m still not sure I’ll plant Gaura lindheimeri again in my garden, I’ll definitely use it again in containers. If you’re thinking about adding some whimsy and whirl to your garden, here’s the low-down on Whirling Butterflies.
♦ Thrives in full sun to part shade and is not fussy about soil
♦ Native to the prairies and pinelands of Texas & Louisiana
♦ Grows to about 24″ tall and 18″ wide
♦ Considered deer and rabbit resistant
♦ Hardy in zones 5 – 9
Design Recommendations
♦ If you do decide to use Gaura lindheimeri in your garden, I’d recommend planting it in multiples to make a statement. If you only have room for one plant, consider using it in a container.
♦ The flowers are floppy so it will appreciate support from its neighbors, especially those in front. Giving Gaura lindheimeri some support will also help the flowers to float and flit above the foliage and really let it shine.
♦ Since it moves so easily, from a gentle breeze or a bee alighting on a blossom, it would be best planted in an area where you can easily enjoy all the whirling, swirling, twisting and turning.
I have a small area in front and planted the pink which then doesn’t get lost. I have one white one by the pond and it is gorgeous…can’t be missed there and adds such whimsy especially in the wind.
Donna, It definitely is a perennial that needs to be massed in the garden to have an impact. Whimsical is the perfect description for it.
It’s a beautiful plant that I have treated as an annual— gaura just wouldn’t come back for me, either in a container or in the ground. But this year Siskiyou Pink came back (two plants) and they’re thriving along a hot, south facing walk. They get support from nearby plants and have bloomed with bouncy nodding pink blooms all summer. Love it!
Laurrie, Gaura does seem to like the heat, doesn’t it. In my container it rarely shows any sign of heat or drought stress which is another reason I’d plant it again.
I raised this from seed, then transplanted one of the many seedlings to the new garden, where the deer crop it way down in early spring. They haven’t come back for more, and the haircut resulted in a bushier plant with very tall flower spikes that need no support.
Ricki, That’s interesting. I hadn’t really given much thought to pruning it to create a bushier plant but our experience makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing.
I just love how, by chance, you found a great use for gaura. It’s such a delicate, lovely perennial but, as many Connecticut gardeners have found, does not like our winters. I, too, had given up on gaura. Now I may reconsider it as a container plant, thanks to your experience.
I’m so glad my experiences were helpful. I’ve really enjoyed this plant all season long in it’s container, much to my surprise.